Bathing suit, athletic suit, or the like



Feb. 17, 1931 V|ZZARD 1,793,145

BATHING SUIT, ATHLETIC SUIT, OR THE LIKE Filed Oct. 29, 1929 gwuentozPatented Feb. 17 1931 NITE STATES PATENT OFFICE BA'IHING SUIT, ATHLETICSUIT, OR THE LIKE .hpplicati'on'filed October 29, 1929. Serial No.403,229.

The invention relates to bathing or athletic suits and has as an objectthe provision of the nether portion of a garment of thischaracter havingmeans for supporting the waist of the wearer.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a garment havingmeans to support the abdomen and to confine the hips of the wearer.

lit-is a further object of the invention to provide a garment of-thecharacter referred to having an abdominal and hip support of inelasticmaterial provided with an inner surface of fleece or felt to preventchill and friction of the skin.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a garment of thecharacter described having an abdominal support which may be lacedtogether to provide accurate adjustment of size.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a garment of thecharacter described provided with shoulder straps to accurately positionthe supporting portion thereof.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription when read in connection with the accompanying drawingsshowing an illustrative embodiment of the invention and wherein Fig. 1is a front view;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section; and

Fig. 3 is a detail front view showing the lacing removed.

As shown the device comprises a pair of 3b shorts or trunks 10 of ausual and wellknown form provided with a front opening closed by buttons11. which may be concealed by a fly as 12.

To support the abdomen and the back of 40 the wearer and to confine thehips, there 1s shown a relatively wide belt or band 13 secured to theupper edge 14 of the trunks 10. The belt 13 is shown as covered upon itsex terior with material 14' of the same character as that of which thetrunks 10 are formed and it is considered within the purview of theinvention to construct the device with the material of the trunks 10extending upwardly and continuously over the outside 59 of the belt 13to the upper edge 15 thereof.

'are constructed, the belt 13 Will be longer lived than the trunks 10and it is therefore preferred to attach the belt to the trunks bystitching whereby the belt 13 may be removed from the trunks 10 andapplied to a new pair thereof.

The belt 13 according to the invention is formed of a material such asrubberized fabric, artificial leather or' the like which is imperviousto water upon its treated surface, the inner surface 16 thereof which isexposed to the skin of the wearer being fleece or feltmaterial wherebyfriction of the skin and the chill which would result from contact ofrubber against the skin is thereby avoided.

To adjustably close the front of the belt 13 there is shown lacing 17engaging eyes 18, 19 in the edges of the belt.

To protect the skin from action of the lacings which might form ridgesthereon, there is shown a tongue 20 secured at its lower edge to theupper edge of the trunks or to the lower edge of the belt and which maybe drawn upwardly inside of the lacings when they are applied, thetongue 20 as shown in Fig. 1 being ofsuificient length to be drawn downover the lacings upon the outside and to have its end tucked upwardlybetween the 'belt and the trunks as clearly indicated in Fig. 2 at 21.

T o adjust the waistband 22 of belt 13, there is shown an extension flap23 which may be provided with a series of clasps of the glovefastenertype which may be alternatively ens gaged withthe studs 25 upon theopposite side of the waistband to suit the girth of the wearer.,

To retain the garment at its proper height, there are shown shoulderstraps 26, 27 attached at their front and rear ends to the waistband 22,horizontal straps 28, 29 being shown extending over the chest and overthe back respectively of the wearer to prevent spreading of thestraps26, 27 and displace- :ment thereof from the shoulders.

The straps 26, 27 are desirably formed narrower at the shoulder engagingportions 30,

31 than at their vertical portions. Thus formed the suit may readily beworn as a sun suit without an upper garment and will providesubstantially the same amount of concealment of the person as many sunsuits now in use. upper garment the stitchings 32, 33 connecting thefront and the back ends respectlvely of the shoulder straps 26, 27 maybe cut and the shoulder straps removed. The use of the straps however isadvantageous for the purpose of accurate location of the abdomen and hipconfinement belt 13.

By the provisions of the invention persons with prolapsed abdomens orwith bulging hips may wear bathing suits of a character at presentsubstantially prohibitive because of appearance, and the weakenedabdomen will be supported to prevent the displacement of the internalorgans and injury such as rupture.

The support provided by the invention is confined to the parts nee ingsupport, the lower limbs of the wearer being left entirely free for themovements required in swimming, running, or the like, and the presenceof the supporting member in the suit is not readily apparent to theobserver: Because of the lacing and the accurate location of the device,the ridges sometimes formed by confinement of the body by abdominalsupports will not be evident when this device is worn.

The material of the belt being non-elastic will not shrink when wet andthe size determined by the lacing when applied will not be changed bysuch shrinkage. At the same time the fleece or felt lining in contactwith the skin will avoid the usual objections of ,forming the sameconsiderably narrower at the back than shown in Fig.2 and the frontthereof may be made of greater vertical width than shown, if desired,for additional support to the abdomen.

Minor changes may be made in the physical embodiment of the inventionwithin the scope of the appended claims Without departing from thespirit of the invention.

I-claim:

l. A bathing suit, athletic suit, or the like comprising, incombination, a pair of trunks, a relatively wide non-stretchable,water-impervious belt secured to the upper portion of said trunks andextending substantially completely around the trunks, a soft fabriclining for said belt to contact with the person of the wearer, afastening means to close said belt, and a tongue secured interiorly ofthe adjacent edges of said belt and underlying said lacing to preventcontact thereof with If the device is to be worn with an the body, saidtongue extending over the upper edge of said belt and being attachableto a portion of the garment to conceal said fastening means.

' 2. A bathing suit, athletic suit, or the like comprising, incombination, a pair of trunks comprising a relatively wide belt at itsupper portion formed of water-impervious nonstretchable material andextendin substantially completely around the tllllfiis, a soft liningfor the interior of said belt to contact with the person of the wearer,means to adjustably connect the edges of said belt in accordance withthe size of the wearer whereby to support the hips and abdomen of thewearer, shoulder straps connected at their front and rear endsrespectively to the upperedge of said belt and at substantially thewaist line and adapted to Miss over the shoulders of the wearer where yto position said garment and retain the same in adj usted position.

3. A bathing suit, athletic suit, or the like comprising, incombination, a pair of trunks comprising a relatively wide belt at itsupper portion formed of water-impervious nonstretchable material, andextendin substantially completely around the trun (s, means toadjustably connect the edges of said belt in accordance with the size ofthe wearer whereby to support the hips and abdomen of the wearer,shoulder straps connected at their front and rear ends respectively tothe upper edge of said belt and adapted to pass over the shoulders ofthe wearer whereby to position said garment and retain the same inadjusted tacting surface of soft, material, lacings to iidjustablyconnect the bpposite edges of said belt, said belt being narrower at itsrear portion and curving downwardly about the hips to a widened frontportion whereby to pr0- vide hip and abdominal support, an extensionupon one side of the waistband of said belt, means to adjustably connectsaid extensioh to conform to waists of different sizes. ALICE VIZZARD.

